"Almost Ancient"
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Most kids don't like watching anything black-and-white. When a film from the '90s is an "old movie," the family of the '50s seems almost ancient. What'd they do with their free time without the internet? As outdated as it may sound, many families invested in quality time, eating meals together, going to church every week, and studying the Bible regularly. No, life wasn't perfect. But are these "old-fashioned" priorities a thing of the past? Maybe with all our distractions, the foundation of our families has weakened. Adrift in a sea of activities, perhaps we've lost touch with the value of deep devotion to God together.
The Big Idea
Worship isn't just what we do as a family — it's who we are. The "Lord builds the house" (Ps. 127:1) when he's the heart of the home.
Jesus grew up in a home where honoring God was the norm. The family "went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover" (Luke 2:41) — it wasn't a question; it was just what they did. They were poor, but they sacrificed what little they had to God, as he commanded (Luke 2:22-24). Before Mary and Joseph ever had kids, they were worshipers at their core. Listen to the beautiful words of devotion Mary spoke before Jesus' birth — "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior ... for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name" (Luke 1:46-49). It's only fitting that when Jesus was twelve, he continued the legacy, planting himself in the temple to discuss God's word (Luke 2:49).
So make devotion the core of your marriage from the earliest moments, before the kids come. Lay those habits and commitments deep, like concrete footers beneath your house. Serve, pray, and consistently assemble with the church, never too busy to show up for the One who showed up for us. Just imagine what might happen if more families took the "old fashioned" approach of Jesus' upbringing.
The Big Question
Is glorifying God the soul of your family?
